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Troy Female Seminary-1821

Overview: The Troy Female Seminary was founded by Emma Willard. The school opened in 1821 in Troy, New York. Up until the opening of this school, girls were not allowed to continue school after grade school because they were considered feeble minded and intellectually challenged(3). The schools before (the kitchens of women of the towns) that were geared towards girls taught subjects to them that were considered appropriate for the women of the time.(3) This school however changed that by allowing the girls to study the same course subjects as the boys and preparing them for post secondary school. It was also the first real post-grammar school for the girls that were not located at someone’s house.


3 questions:

What we believed Then:

Women were not allowed to continue school after grade school because they were considered feeble minded, and intellectually challenged.(3) If they were to continue schooling it would be in someones home and they would learn to cook, clean and other items behind running a household.

What we believe now:

Women are now allowed to continue schooling after grade school and move onto secondary and even continue education into unviersities and colleges. There is 'equal' education classes for girls and boys. Now instead of girls taking home economic classes while the boys take shop classes girls and boys both learn to cook, sew, and use power tools.

How do we still act that we believe the old belief?:

This old belief of secondary education being for men shows in the fact that some schools still require girls to have home economic classes. These classes continue to teach girls the typical things they would of learned before this school opened up. "Emma Willard's extensive independent study program, Practicum, allows students to pursue classwork at area colleges, career internships, community service, and individualized athletic training and competition off campus for academic credit." (4)

(1)History's Women, Emma Willard http://www.historyswomen.com/1stWomen/EmmaHartWillard.html,
(2)Emma Willard School: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Female_Seminary,
(3)Westward Expansion:http://www.angelfire.com/ca/HistoryGals/Linda.html
(4)Emma Troy School: http://www.emma.troy.ny.us/index2.php